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J'. n. COX. Running Oars upon Railroads.

No. 228,176. Pat-enteid June 1', 1880'.

N PETERS, FNOTO-UYHOGRAFNER, WASHINGTON, D. Q

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

JAMES R. COX, OF AUBURN, NEW YORK.

RUNNING CARS UPON RAILROADS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 228,176, dated June 1, 1880.

Application filed December 4, 1878.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES R. COX, of the city of Auburn, county of Cayuga, and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Running Oars upon Railroads,-of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to dispense with the wheels of railroad-cars, so as to avoid the noise occasioned by them, and to move the cars, (drawn by the locomotive-engine,) resting on skates, upon a special rail made for this purpose, as in the annexed drawings.

This invention practically turns the railroad-cars into sleighs, running on a narrow and lubricated rail with skates. The ordinary rail is retained as the path of the drive-wheels of the engine. All other wheels are removed, and skates substituted, substantially as set forth in the annexed drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a side "ieW of the skate. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 represents a vertical section through one-half. of the track and one of the skates. Fig. 4 represents a bottom view of the skate.

B is the section of the ordinary T-rail, restin g on the ordinary railroad-tie G.

A is the section of the special rail, to be laid by the side of the ordinary rail on the tie, upon which the skates (supporting the cars) slide as upon ice. This special rail is angular. It has each of its two main faces at right angles to the other. It should be of steel, hard enough to receive a high polish on the top' edge and to resist the wear of the skate. This top edge should be from threeeighths of an inch to three-fourths of an inch wide at top. This special rail might be so made as that, when the top edge becomes worn, ragged, or uneven, it might be turned around and the lower edge presented to the skates.

G is one of the spikes passing through the special rail into the tie to hold it firmly.

D is the skate, (in section and side view,) which may be from sixteen inches to twentyfour incheslong. This skate may be made in diflerent forms and height, either of wood, cast-iron, or other suitable material, and may be lined with Babbitt meta-l to resist the wear of the rail and lessen the friction.

In Fig. 3 ofthe drawings this skate D is represented,.in sectional view, riding or sliding on the special rail A.

This skate may be fastened to the trucks or suitable frame-work under the car by bolts; or it may be arranged with one king bolt, H, (as in the drawings,) in order to permit ready turning of the carupon the sharp curves of the railroad, substantially as the trucks of ordinary cars are and have been heretofore adjusted.

The groove F in the skate, where it straddles the special rail, should be about twice as wide as the top of the rail, with sides slightly curved, so as not to hug or bind when turning on curves.

E is a grease cup or hollow, made or cast in the skate, with a small hole, a, through the bottom, reaching to the top of the special rail A. This is filled with tallow or grease, that becomes melted by the heat resulting from the friction of the skate upon the rail. It constantly lubricates the top of the special rail, fitting it for the easy sliding of the skate D without much friction and without noise.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to be secured to me by Letters Patent, is the following:

1. In a railroad-track, the special rail A, formed with a vertical side extending from top to bottom, a base at right angle to said side, and a curved side, in combination with a skate adapted to slide thereon, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a railroad-track, the combination of a special rail, A, formed with a vertical side extending from top to bottom, and a base at right angle to said side, and a skate adapted to slide thereon, with a T-rail, B, placed alongside of said special rail, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The skate or shoe D, grooved longitudinally, in combination with the special rail A,

the said skate being constructed to straddle the rail and adapted to be affixed to the cars in place of wheels, to slide upon the special rail A, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the skate D, grooved the grease and lubricate the top of said spelongitudinally to straddle a rail, king-bolt H, cial rail, substantially as and for the purpose and special rail A, substantially as and for herein set forth.

the purpose described. JAS. R. COX. 5 5. The skate D, provided with the grease- Witnesses:

cup E, adapted to be warmed. by the friction HORACE T. 000K,

of the skate on the special rail, so as to melt J. LEWIS GRANT, Jr. 

